Edition 76: boosting birth rates with AI

(This newsletter was sent to email subscribers on December 9, 2020.)

Happy Wednesday, muggles. “Want to quarantine & chill?” or “Wash your hands so you can hold mine,” were just some of the pandemic-inspired pickup lines people used on Tinder this year. It seems with most people in quarantine, people were forced to turn to dating apps to find love (or at least some connection). Tinder released some of its findings from the year and found people weren’t just using the app to date, but to get out the vote! Here’s to hoping next year doesn’t need as many Covid-related one liners. 😅

TAX

Argentina to tax its rich to pay for Covid response

Mon Dec 7

It seems Robin Hood may be at work in Argentina, where lawmakers passed a “millionaire’s tax” last week. This one-off tax will affect roughly 12,000 people in the top .02% income bracket whose personal fortune is more than 200 million pesos ($2.4 million) and is expected to generate up to $3.7 billion.

What will the money be used for?

Argentina is struggling to control the coronavirus. The nation of around 45 million has already recorded about 1.5 million cases and almost 40,000 deaths. The money from the tax would go towards:

• 20% medical supplies
• 20% support for small to medium-sized businesses
• 15% social programs
• 20% student scholarships
• 25% natural gas ventures

What has the opposition said?

Critics are worried the tax won’t be a one time occurrence and could deter foreign investment.

READ MORE FROM OUR SOURCES: Al Jazeera, CNBC, BBC News

LOVE

Japan to fund AI matchmaking to improve birth rate

Mon Dec 7

Japan is hoping a little matchmaking can help boost its declining birth rate. Births were down 5.8% in 2019 as fewer people got married and more are waiting to get married later in life.

Now the country is investing in artificial intelligence instead of relying on its traditional human matchmakers, which has historically been a large industry. The country is planning to allocate 2 billion yen (~$20 million) in next year’s fiscal budget to fight the decreasing birth rate. The government plans to cover roughly 60% of the building costs, which will allow for features such as matching based on hobbies or values.

But not everyone is sure technology is the right way to spend the money. Some have suggested it would be better to help young adults earning a low wage or struggling with employment. A recent report found that young, single adults who reported no interest in romantic relationships had lower income and education levels. Ultimately, it’ll be up to local governments on how they allocate it.

Why does Japan care about this?

Japan is struggling with a demographic crisis, and has the highest proportion of elderly people in the world. Currently, around 29% of Japan’s population is 65 or older, and that percentage is expected to reach 35% by 2040. That’s why policymakers are trying to encourage marriage and children as a way to pay for the increasing cost of welfare.

P.S. 66% of the news sources reporting on this Japan story are in the center. How do we know? We learned from Ground News, a news source comparison platform that empowers you to compare how outlets from the left, center, and right are covering a story. To try it for yourself, download the free Ground News App or Browser Extension.

READ MORE FROM OUR SOURCES: Japan Times, Reuters, BBC News, Japan Times, PLOS ONE Journal

CRIME

Former Arizona official sentenced for illegal adoption scheme

Wed Dec 2

An Arizona lawyer has been sentenced to more than six years in prison in an adoption and smuggling scheme that led to at least 70 illegal adoptions.

Wait, how?

• Paul Petersen, who also served as the Maricopa County Assessor, had a website that offered people full-service adoptions of babies from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, where he had lived for two years on a Mormon mission trip.
• He charged an average of ~$35,000, claiming the money would go towards legal fees, the mother’s medical care, rent, and food.
• Instead, prosecutors say Petersen used some of the money to smuggle pregnant Marshallese women to the U.S.
• He offered the women about $10,000 each, but would deduct costs such as rent and utilities before making the payments.

Petersen has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit human smuggling in Arkansas and had similar guilty pleas in Arizona and Utah. Under a compact between the U.S. and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Marshallese citizens can enter the U.S. and work without a visa, but they are not allowed to enter for the purpose of adoption. An Arkansas judge just sentenced Petersen to six years and he has to pay a fine of $100,000. He’s still waiting for his sentencing in Utah and Arizona.

How did he get away with this for 12 years?

He used legal loopholes, lied to judges, and falsified documents to make it seem like the women were residents in various states so they could receive Medicaid benefits. He also would have the women say they were unmarried and that the fathers didn’t want the babies. Finally, he would sometimes take the women’s passports once they entered the U.S. to prevent them from being able to return home.

READ MORE FROM OUR SOURCES: The Washington Post, USA Today, The New York Times, AP News

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That’s all for today. Have a magical week.✨